Paul Lubitz, Holly Hosterman

Gifts & Dec: How was Holly Yashi born?

Paul Lubitz: Twenty years ago, when we were boyfriend and girlfriend, we started crafting jewelry of silver- and gold-plated animal shapes that were inspired by the designs of Inuit and other native peoples.

Holly Hosterman: We wanted to incorporate both of our names in the company name. When Paul was a kid his brother called him Yashi, so we used it.

Gifts & Dec: What inspired your signature style of using colored metal in your designs?

PL: A professor at our college once gave a talk about how titanium can be colored. My dad lived near an aerospace scrap yard, and sent us scraps of titanium he found there. We made circular shapes from them, because that was the only die we had at that time.

Gifts & Dec: Were your designs quick to catch on?

PL: When we went to our first L.A. gift show, people saw the colored metal and there were literally lines outside the booth. People wanted something handmade, but with a high resale value. We wrote orders all day and had no idea how we were going to make all that stuff. We realized we needed more help, and started finding sales reps.

Gifts & Dec: How big has Holly Yashi become?

PL: In 1982, we had seven employees located in a garage making somewhere between 30 and 45 products. A year and a half later we moved across the street to an old 2,000-square-foot creamery building. Then, about 14 years ago we moved into our current building. Today, we have 50 employees and lots of outside contractors.

Gifts & Dec: Now you use niobium in your work. Why the change?

PL: Some of the titanium we used was good for coloring and some wasn't. Niobium is more expensive, but you don't have to use harsh chemicals to make it color. And it produces a more intense palette. That led us to try surface treatments we'd never have dreamt of with titanium. But niobium isn't easy to obtain. There are only two mills in the U.S., and probably only one more in the whole world.

Gifts & Dec: Does Holly do all the designing personally?

HH: I used to, but in the last couple of years I've had assistants help with some of the beading and things. We have 1,300 SKUs; I still oversee and approve everything.

Gifts & Dec: What do you see as the next big thing in jewelry?

HH: Pendants, more beads, and bigger, bolder, primitive things. In the '90s, jewelry got kind of sleepy and conservative, but now it's fun to be designing again.

Gifts & Dec: How is Holly Yashi growing and changing?

HH: Our designs have always been known for color, and we're expanding on that. We've added semi-precious stones to the line. We're doing more necklaces and bracelets now, and we're doing anklets too.

PL: We're building onto our existing facility, combining two lots, and adding 10,000 square feet. We're also spending more energy on marketing and sales. We now have in-house people helping our reps and contacting accounts directly.

Gifts & Dec: How are you celebrating your anniversary?

PL: We'll continue the "Yashi bucks" promotions for buyers. Through that they get a $20 discount. We came out with a new collection called Venti, which means 20 in Italian. I also looked back at our best sellers over the years, and combined some of our classic looks with a modern feel. It's been well received.